Germany is looking for gasoline in all directions

Germany is stepping up its steps towards gas exporters that could replace Russia in terms of gas supplies, with German Economy Minister Robert Habeck visiting Qatar on Saturday after visiting Norway this week. Qatar is one of the three largest exporters of liquefied natural gas, which European countries are counting on to reduce their dependence on Russian gas. The issue is particularly sensitive for Germany, where about half of its gas imports come from Russia. "We need, in the short term and on a temporary basis, more LNG and we want to deliver it to our stations in Germany. On the other hand, we need to accelerate the transition from conventional natural gas to green hydrogen," Habeck said before his visit. in Qatar, which will be followed by a visit to the United Arab Emirates ”. Mabek visited Norway this week after traveling to the US earlier this month. He said on the "ERD" channel: "I am convinced that the sum of the talks we have had - with Norway, the United States, Canada and Qatar - will allow us to get more LNG to Europe and Germany". Berlin, together with Norway, will study the possibility of building a pipeline that will allow the import of green hydrogen when this technology is developed. Berlin has been criticized for opposing an immediate embargo on Russian oil and gas in order to dry up financial flows to Moscow. Berlin believes such a boycott will destabilize the German economy and society due to the expected rise in energy prices and the threat of shortages. Habeck explained that the solution to the "sense and reason" dilemma lies in "securing supplies, then moving forward" by cutting Russian imports. But the ethical dimension in the hydrocarbon trade "does not exist," the minister said via ERD, adding: "The production of oil and gas creates a power pool and the power pool often leads to a tendency to corruption."